son's use of the word 'big'_.

(Vol. v, p. 425.)

On volume i, page 471, Johnson says: 'Don't, Sir, accustom yourself to
use big words for little matters.'

_Atlas, the Duke of Devonshire's race-horse._

(Vol. v, p. 429.)

Johnson, in his _Diary of a Journey into North Wales_, records on
July 12, 1774:--

'At Chatsworth..., Atlas, fifteen hands inch and half.'

Mr. Duppa in a note on this, says: 'A race-horse, which attracted so
much of Dr. Johnson's attention, that he said, "of all the Duke's
possessions I like Atlas best."'

Thomas Holcroft, who in childhood wandered far and wide with his father,
a pedlar, was at Nottingham during the race-week of the year 1756 or
1757, and saw in its youth the horse which Johnson so much admired in
its old age. He says: 'The great and glorious part which Nottingham held
in the annals of racing this year, arose from the prize of the King's
plate, which was to be contended for by the two horses which everybody
I heard speak considered as undoubtedly the best in England, and perhaps
equal to any that had ever been known, Childers alone excepted. Their
names were Careless and Atlas.....There was a story in circulation that
Atlas, on account of his size and clumsiness, had been banished to the
cart-breed; till by some accident, either of playfulness or fright,
several of them started together; and his vast advantage in speed
happening to be noticed, he was restored to his blood companions.....Alas
for the men of Nottingham, Careless was conquered. I forget whether it
was at two or three heats, but there was many an empty purse on that
night, and many a sorrowful heart.'
--_Memoirs of Thomas Holcroft_, i. 70.

Sir Richard Clough.

(Vol. v, p. 436.)

There is an interesting note on Sir Richard Clough, the founder of Bach
y Graig, in Professor Rhys's edition of Pennant's _Tours in Wales_
(vol. ii, p. 137). The Professor writes to me:--

'Sir Richard Clough's wealth was so great that it became a saying of the
people in North Wales that a man who grew very wealthy was or had become
a Clough. This has long been forgotten; but it is still said in Welsh,
in North Wales, that a very rich man is a regular _clwch_, which is
pronounced with the guttural spirant, which was then (in the 16th
century) sounded in English, just as the English word _draught_ (of
drink) is in Welsh _dracht_ pronounced nearly as if it were German.'

_Evan Evans._

(Vol. v, p. 443.)

Eva